Electric switch



March 4, 1930., H. E. NQRVIEL ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Oct. 5l, 1927 'j the oeeompo This invenion relates to eieciiio switches which are adopted to be mounted upon che lower end o the steering colo oi outomobiie emi ere adapted who cooperate with e rod extendiothrough the steering column sod eiminsing above the steering Wheei im e otetabe knob or leves by which the eieolic switch is confrroled from ehe diivers sees,

@ne objeo; oi: the present invention is "oo *provide ineens for attaching the cese o? the' svvisch oo the lower emi on? the steering coiumo endl for pesmitfving the shet o: iToe switch which ooxiies the movable switch coilio align itself eueometiceiiy with the fo which. extends through die seering coiuom so the@ when. ahe rod omi switch shoit sie ogiy com;necize6l Reichel oi these peres vvbe iso-o; oe otheevise oreeei out o: moomsi posici se to 'the ooeea oizoii of osvaich oi" mieke d iiioui'o o eieze;

@thee objects and odvoneges presione iiifem'cion vvili be .eppoi-ene fiom 'the 1 oiiowiog descripiioii9 ieeieoce being hooi igolfwings9 Wheieim s fessee; embofiimeot oi vemiofi is ci, iy shox/'mC l-he diovmogs: v

i is fragmento@ view of e sieeiog comme of on automobile eo1v` ei with @he @mision 2 is lvv oo. larges scale showing' ehe iovve; en@ o1-fi 'the steeiog coiumii mici the bisecie; uio? etmiing oo the svvi'cii which is shown in coss section.

3 o view, iooising in the disecioii oi erovv 3 im 29 with the swifgcii comasco cese eemoved, v

if'go 4 is seciionoi view on ehe lime 5 e. sectionoi view om @he iiiie Pi-li o- Fig: 2

Fig., 6 is s secionsi 'View on The Time 6--6 of if is e perspectiveview el: deiviogg m16: ioesrig Washer.,

The sieeiieg wheei 2G' is ofeciieo to o Steef- -ing wheei shsf; 21 which is po-eee@ by steeiiog Wiieei masi; emol e steering geef:

housing 23 emi which opeistes e steering gem im i@he usuel manner containeoi Within `be housing 23 The shei Qencloses e number of concentiio subes 2, 25, 26, and 27, the rsis one of 55 these being smtionaiy and supporting above 'the hub of die steering Wheei s stoltioneiy omciiet not shown. As Weil known o hose skiiied im this are, his sal'aioiioiy Toiocket supposte ieveis for controlling the engine @0 thioiie and the engine ignition apparatus and may ice connected to the tubes 25 enti 26, Tfesgeoiiveiy., 'Ehe tube 27 is Connected ein iis upper emi wiiii s ievei oi' knob 28 which supn poiis e 'horn booten 29 connected with o hom es Tfie eieci'iiio switch which is opefeieoi oy the 7o el u ig cover os switch 32 io oder co piovicie eociosuie movobie eoii'coci membei ieviog Contact imgeis 34 'for engaging 35 Wbie sections-ey con'tacs 35 provide@ oy Webs secujfe to bose 82., The bose 32 seemed to the cese Si by o piumiiiy of boi-'os sind muts9 s boit beiiig shovm'of; 37 ood out 38, The oi the cese 31; has iioies 37S' ieeeiving die bolts Si The iivets 3@ secm'e to J@he bese 32 e immbei meloni suppos 39, 40 and il which ore oiseciied "co o nom-oomiuotimg 'use and ieminai biooii if/3:. The members 393 i0 and @i we conductors iov eiectiicsiiy connecting the'voiious stsioneiy conosci-s, i switch with fuses ond minoi oiios7 one of the fuses being shown 4:3 emi. o mermimei et 54. The uses i3 sie piotececi by e eoveif i5 which is eisocioed so the 'fuse block i2 by e stud Q26 end e Wing mit fi.

The movable conosci: 33 is pfovided vvie wsu-shoe 52 commi-Lily of eine .washer 53, en@ E hence to locate the switch contact 33 centrally of the shaft 54, without requiring an insulating sleeve. As shown there is a space 54'L between the shaft 54 and the contact 33. The tangs 51 are received by notches 55 in a nonconducting ratchet late 56 which is drivingly connected with a ange 57 of the shaft 54 by providing the fiange with a stud 58 which is received by a notch 59 in the vplate 56. The ratchet plate 56, the contact33 which is composed o two superposed punchings as shown 1n Fig. 2, the connecting washer 52, the insulating washer 53 and two metal washers 60 and 61 are all clamped between the flange 57 and a small flange 62 which is formed by stakingfafter the parts mentioned have been assembled upon the shaft 54.

The flange 57 of the shaft 54 is provided with a notch 64 for receivin a lug 65 provided by the back of the switc case 31.. The surfaces 66 and 67 defining the notch 64 cooperate with the lug in order to limit rotation of the shaft 54. The shaft 54 is indexed in its various circuit making or breaking positions by a plurality of leaf springs,

68 each adapted to cooperate with a series of teeth 69 rovided by the detent plate 56. Certain of) these teeth, for example teeth 69, may be shorter than others in order to provide for more easy movement from one position to another. This is useful in providing for easy movement between dim' and bright positions when the switch is used to control a lighting circuit.

A U-shaped bracket 70 which is attached by screws 71 to the steering gear case 23 supports t-he switch case 3,1 in a, manner which will now be described. The case 31 is attached to p rivets 72 and'73 which are axially slidable thru the back wall of the case and which pass through hole 74 and slots 75, respectively, in the yoke or transverse member 76 of the bracket k70. The hole 74 is substantially larger-than the shank of the rivet 72 so as to permit an orbital movement of the rivet 72 with relation to the bracket. The slot 75 is but. slightly greater in width 4than the diameter ofthe shank 73 in order to prevent substantial rotation of the rivet 73 relative to the axis "of the tube 27 while permitting the rivet to move freely in a radial direc.

tion. The space between the back of the switch case and the bottom surface of the transverse member 76 of the bracket 70 is occupied by a washer 80 having a plurality of arms 81 each carrying two resilient fingers 82 which are shaped in such manner as to urge the switch case away from the bracket so that the headsof the rivets 72 and 73 bear against the transverse member 76 with yielding pressure.

After the switch case 31 containin the switch shaft 54 and elements supported t ereby has been assembled with the bracket 70 by the rivets 72 and 73 and the plate 80, the

structure is assembled with the steering gear case 23 by first passing the switch shaft 54 over the tube 27 and then securing the bracket 70 by the screws 7l. The shaft 27 is drivingly connected with the shaft 54 by a clamp 90 having lugs 91 which are received by notches 92 provided by the shaft 54. The mountinoY of the switch shaft 54 upon the tube 27 fixes the relation of the shaft 54 and the parts carried thereby to the tube 27. Since the shaft 54 has a cylindrical portion 93 coaxial and having asrunning fit with an orifice provided in the back wall of the case 31, the case 31 is fixed in its relation to'the tube 27 so that it can not move radially relative to the tube. The connections of the case 31 to the bracket 70 by the studs 72 and 73 prevent rotation of the case 31 when the contact fingers 34 are rotated in frictional engagement with the switch base 32; but these connections permit an orbital movement of the switch case 31 relative to the bracket 70 in case the tube 27 does not rotate concentrically with its own axis. It is apparent that if the tube rotates eccentrically so that its own axis moves in an orbit defined by the small circle 95 in Fig. 4, a similar movement of the case 31 will take place. This movement is permitted since the slot 75 will permit of straight line oscillatory movement of the case 31 as well as a swinging movement, the case pivoting about the stud 73 while the stud 72 may move in a curved path. The hole 74 provides clearance forv this movement of the stud 72.

The rod 27 may even rotate about an axis` lwhich is slightly oblique as well as eccentric to its own axis. thereby causin the shaft 54 and the case 31 to wobble whi e makin an orbital movement in the manner described before. This wobbling movement is rmitted since the case 3l 1s not closely con ned to the transverse member 76 but is held in spaced relation'thereto by the spring fingers 82 which will yield to permit a slight wobbling movement to the case 31 to the transverse member 76.

It is therefore apparent that the present invention provides a switch construction and mounting therefor adapted to be attached to the lower end of the steering column and to a control tube extending through the column, and that the construction is such that the switch may be operated without difficulty although the operating rod does not rotate exactly about its own axis. The construction is such that extreme care in the manufacture of the switch case and mounting bracket is not required. A slight variation in the locationV ofthe A.holes in the mounting bracket which receives the screws 7l is permitted. After the switch has been attached to the tube 27, the bracket 70 may be moved slightly relative to the switch case in order to align the holes 71 with threaded holes 71" provided in the gear case 23 for receiving;` the screws 7l. y

lllhile the forni oi' einbodirnent et the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred forni, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which iolloiv.

lllliat is claimed is as follows: h

l. in electric switch adapted to be inounted at the lower enel oi a steering column and having; an operating' shaft adapted to be drivingly connected with a rod extending through the steering column, and havingI a case enclosing the operating shaft, and rneans for attaching Athe case to a steering column and adapted to permit oscillation ol 'the cese relative to the steering coluinn as the shalt is turned by said roel An electric switch according@1 to claiin l in which the case is 1permitted to move with an orbital motion reletive to the steering column.

3. An electric switch according to claim l in which the case is permitted to wobble rela to the steering column,

t ln electric switch according to claiin l which the case is permitted to move vvitli orb'tel, 'Wobbling motion relative to the steering column.,

in electric switch comprising in combination an operating sha-it, a movable switch contact having a hub provided with an aioeru through which the shaft extends, said aperture heilig,= substantially larger in diameter than that portion olf the shaft which the hub surrounds, two non-conducting plates between which vthe Contact hub is clamped, ineens iter drivingly connecting one oitl the plates with the shaft, ineens 'for drivingly connecting the Contact with one of the plates, ineens cooperating with the contact and one the plates iter tiring the relation of the contact hub to the shalt, there being a vacantspace between the hub and shalt, and a case enclosing shalt and cerryine stationary contacts which the movable Contact engages.

An electric svvitch comprising in combination, an operating slit-silt having a llange, a detent plate et non-conducting. material positioned egainst said flange, ineens :lor drivingly connecting the @enge and detent plate, a movable Contact having a hub loositioned against said detent plate, the hub havine; an aperture through which the shalt entends and larger in diameter than that portion of the shalt which the hub surrounds, a washer positioned against said contact hub and having tongs which are received by einem tures in the hub and notches in the detent plete 'tor the purpose et drivingly connecting; the detentplste and movable contact, said washer having other tangs 'projecting away from the Contact huh, a non-conducting washer surrounding and closely fitting the slieiit end coepereting with the last nieu tioned tangs to maintain the contact hub in lined, spaced rela on to the shalt, means cooperating with the shaft iter clamping 'the de'tent plate, -the Contact, andthe tivo Washers against the ange oi the shalt, resilient ineens cooperating 'with the detent plate 'for yieldingly maintaining the shaft in various "positions, and a case enclosing the shalt and carrying stationary contacts which the Inovable contact engages 7. ln an electric switch 'adapted to be mounted at the lower enel oil a steering column and having an operating shalt drivingly connected with a rod extendingthrough the steering colurnn, the combination of, a case enclosing the operating shaft, a bracket attached to the steering column oscillatably supporting said case relstive to the steen ing column as the shaft is turned by said rod.

8 ln an electric switch adapted to be mounted at `the lower end of a steering,` column and having an operating shat drivingly connected with a rod extending through the steering column, the combination et, a

caseenclosing` the operating shalt, a bracket supporting said case so to be orbitally rnovn able relative 'to the steering1 column.`

9, iln an electric switch adapted to be mounted at the lower end oit a steering colurnn and havingan operating shaft drivingly connected with a rod extending through the steering column, the combination el, a case enclosing the operating shaft, a bracket loosely supporting said cese so as to be capable olf wobbling relative 'to the steering1 column.,

lt)n l'n en electric svvitcli adapted to be mounted' at the lovver end oit a steering coluinn and lie-ving an operating shalt drivingly connected with rod extending through the steering coloni-n, 'the combination ot, n case enclosing the o rating shalt, e bracket loosely supporting sci case so as to be orbit ly movable, and capable ol' tvobbling rela- 'tive to the steering1 column., il, ln an electric switch, adapted to be mounted the ond oli a steering column or the like and having an operating,F shalt drivu ingly connected with a rod extending through the said column, the combination oi",

ineens lor automatically aligning operating slieitt vvith the control member, comprising, a case enclosing said shalt and bracket ne'd to seid colurnn end loosely supporting case., f

l2, en electric switch, adapted to be mounted at the end ol asteering column or the like and having en o cretino; shalt drivingly connected uwith ro extending1 through the scid column, the combination ol, ineens 'lor automatically elignin the operating shalt with the control inernber, comprising, a lil-shaped bracket lineal said column, pro vided with studureceiving apertures in the yoke portion thereof' ot a case enclosing the said driving connection and studs lined to lill] the case, and received by the relatively large apertures in the yoke, so as to allow orbital movement and wobbling of the case relative to, the column.

5 In testimony whereof I hereto ax my signature.

HARRY E. NoRvIEn 

